Trie
A trie, also known as a prefix tree, is a tree-like data structure used for efficiently storing and retrieving strings or sequences of characters. It organizes data by common prefixes, where each node represents a character and paths from the root to nodes form strings. This structure enables fast operations like insertion, deletion, and prefix-based searching, making it ideal for applications involving dictionaries, autocomplete systems, and IP routing tables.
Developers should learn and use tries when dealing with tasks that require efficient prefix matching or string retrieval, such as implementing autocomplete features in search engines, spell checkers, or contact lists. They are particularly useful in scenarios where memory optimization and quick lookups for large sets of strings are critical, outperforming hash tables in prefix-based queries. Tries are also foundational for advanced algorithms in areas like bioinformatics and network routing.